Sonnet 130
William
Shakespeare
(1564-1616)
My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun;
Coral is far more red than her lips' red;
If snow be white, why then her breasts are dun;
If hairs be wires, black wires grow on her head.
I have seen roses damasked, red and white,
But no such roses see I in her cheeks;
And in some perfumes is there more delight
Than in the breath that from my mistress reeks.
I love to hear her speak, yet well I know
That music hath a far more pleasing sound;
I grant I never saw a goddess go;
My mistress, when she walks, treads on the ground.
And yet, by heaven, I think my love as rare
As any she belied with false compare.
• This is sonnet number 130 in a series
of 154 sonnets.
• It parodies(makes fun) the famous
and often over-the-top sonnets in
which poets described their partners
Why did in highly exaggerated and unrealistic
ways.
Shakespeare write
• Although this poem contains similar
this poem? themes as found in traditional
sonnets (Female Beauty, Love and
Admiration), Shakespeare does not
idealise his beloved. He describes her
in ways which are realistic and,
therefore, more accurate and ‘real’.
Summary
• Shakespeare uses eight ‘anti-compliments’ (negative
comparisons) to describe the uniqueness and beauty of his
beloved.
• However, in the couplet he states that BECAUSE she is normal
and ‘real’, he does not need to exaggerate her looks or his love
for her. He loves her just the way she is – perfect in her
imperfection. In other words, she is perfect to HIM – he does not
need an idealised and superficial woman.
• Although he seems critical and rather rude in the first 12 lines,
the reader realises that he is, in fact, sincere in his love for her.
He does not need exaggerated and unrealistic comparisons to
declare his genuine love for her. In being so brutally honest, he
has ironically given her a heightened beauty, simply because he
does not dote on her outward appearance.
Structure
• This is a Shakespearean or Elizabethan sonnet.
• It consists of three quatrains (4 lines each) and a rhyming couplet
(2 lines).
• The rhyme scheme is: abab cdcd efef gg.
• The rhyming couplet serves as a final argument to drive home
the speaker’s point.
• The rhythm of the point is consistent, too, and follows
traditional iambic pentameter. There are 10 pairs of unstressed
and stressed syllables in each line.
• A lot of hyperbole in the poem> all of the comparisons are
exaggerated > to emphasise the absurdity of Petrarchan ideals.
1) My Negative comparison
mistress’ – rejects simile
(hyperbolic)
eyes are
nothing
like the Her eyes are not as
bright as the sun
sun.
2)Coral is Her lips are not as red as coral
far more
Coral= hard, stony redish/pinkish
red than formations in the sea)
her lips’ There is nothing special about the
red colour of her lips – ordinary lips
3) If snow be white, why then her breasts are dun
In Shakespeare’s time it was a
compliment to have your skin compared
to snow.
Compared to white snow, her skin is
quite dull = dun-coloured (grey-brown)
4) If hairs be wires, black
wires grow on her head
• Hair was often compared to
golden thread. Blonde
hair/highlights were the
epitome of beauty
5+6) I have seen roses damasked, red and white,
But no such roses see I in her cheeks
• Roses: traditional romantic symbol.
• The speaker says that he has seen roses in
damask (pinkish colour), red and white, but
he sees no such roses (colour) in his
mistress’s cheeks.
• Again rejects cliched expression
• Her cheeks are quite pale.
7+8)And in some perfumes is there more delight
Than in the breath that from my mistress reeks
• reeks = unpleasant smell
9-12) I love to hear her speak, yet I will know
That music hath a far more pleasing sound;
I grant I never saw a goddess go;
My mistress, when she walks, treads on the ground
• In the third quatrain, he sounds as though he is
paying her a compliment – this is undercut in line 10.
• Though he has never seen a goddess, his mistress –
unlike goddesses – walks on the ground. She is mortal
and REAL! She is just an average human being.
• Treads on the ground = she is not very graceful when
she walks.
13-14) And yet, by heaven, I think my love as rare
As any she belied with false compare.
• belied = show that something was untrue
• Shakespeare declares that, “by heaven” he thinks his love as rare and
valuable as any love in which false comparisons were invoked to describe
the loved one’s beauty.
• He insists that he does not need these fancy comparisons in order to be
REAL. Women do not need to look like flowers or the sun in order to be
beautiful
• Shakespeare is making the point that conventional love poems
(Petrarchan sonnets) are unrealistic.
• Real love does not need false comparisons. Any woman can be beautiful.
• Shakespeare embraces her flaws. He loves her just the way she is.
• Thus, by telling the reader exactly what his beloved is NOT, we see and
hear how perfect she is despite her imperfections
Tone
• The tone of the poem is satirical in
the first 12 lines when he mocks
the Petrarchan ideals.
• He is sincere and almost
complimentary in the couplet
when he states that he loves her in
spite of her imperfections.
1. Explain how the structure and tone of this poem allows the poet to emphasise the central message. (3)
• (The Shakespearean/Elizabethan sonnet consists of 3 quatrains and rhyming couplet. The
quatrains deliver his exaggerated anti-compliments, and the couplet drives home his sincere love
– he loves her despite her imperfections. The tone in the quatrains –
sarcastic/sardonic/satirical/insincere. Tone in couplet – sincere. Learner MUST mention structure
and tone in both.)
2. Are Shakespeare’s observations in the quatrains cynical or not? Explain your answer. (2)
• No – no mark. Women, like men, are not perfect. He is not cynical, he is realistic. The rhyming
couplet reveals to us that ee loves her despite her shortcomings/imperfections.
3. Who is the speaker ridiculing in the poem? Why does he do this? (3)
(He ridicules the Petrarchan poets of the time who used exaggerations to describe their lovers. The
speaker is rejecting the exaggerated and unrealistic standards of beauty and perfection often found
in love poetry. He proves that the idealised woman does not exist AND makes it clear that his
beloved does not have to be perfect for him to love her genuinely.)
4. Explain what is meant by: “My mistress, when she walks, treads on the ground.” (2)
• (In many love poems, women are often compared to ethereal beings or heavenly
creatures, but here the speaker is emphasizing the ordinary nature of his mistress; she is
real – she does not float above the ground, as described by Petrarchan sonnets, she
walks. She is human, not an idealised and mythical goddess.)
5.Refer to line 12. Comment on the effect pace has on the meaning of the line. (3)
• (The pace slows down with commas and monosyllabic words. It indicates the heavy
stepping/walking of his mistress’ gait. She walks like a normal person, she doesn’t float
like a goddess.)
